Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks won again on Friday night in Milwaukee, 108–99 over the Charlotte Hornets. Giannis Antetokounmpo did some heavy lifting for the first time in a while, scoring 34 points and ripping down 14 rebounds.

The Greek Freak, who, along with LeBron James, was named a captain for the All-Star Game, rested on January 11th, the last time Milwaukee lost, then played fewer than 31 minutes in each of the next three games, all blowout wins. He played 32 and 35 the next to, both 10-point wins, and 38 on Friday night.

Milwaukee’s sixth win in a row on the same night Toronto lost in Houston extended the Bucks’ lead in the Eastern Conference. They are now three games ahead of the Raptors in the loss column.

With no injuries to report and a game every other day until February 9, when they play their final back-to-back before the break, the Bucks are just cruising, as they have been all season.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Oklahoma City will take this to be a big game. It’s at home, for five in a row, and the Thunder has had two days off leading into it.

It won rather unconvincingly on Thursday night against a Pelicans team missing Anthony Davis. Russell Westbrook had a triple-double with 17 rebounds and 16 assists and, perhaps best of all, only bricked two threes (he finished 1-for-3).

It’s becoming more and more apparent that the Thunder needs to add at least one more player to its rotation, even assuming Andre Roberson comes back and plays effectively enough to stick.

Westbrook and George do some of everything; Steven Adams is kind of alone inside with Jerami Grant helping inside and out. Terrance Ferguson is mostly just 3-and-D, same with Patrick Patterson and Abdul Nader (though all three are rather poor-man versions). Dennis Schroder can provide some playmaking off the bench. Nerlens Noel is all there is behind Adams.

So there’s a lot left to desire. Billy Donovan could certainly use some more shooting and playmaking on the wing, a legitimate offensive threat with the ball other than George, plus an extra body to mix in with Adams and Noel.

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